Because traditional circuit based switches are structured in an integrated and closed architecture, they often fail to meet diversified requirements and/or enable rapid deployment of services over an entire network. To meet operational needs, conventional switching networks are evolving from a traditional voice services networks to networks offering additional services. For example, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks are becoming more widely used as the demand for clearer real-time voice communication grows and telecommunication companies turn to existing P2P, Internet based networks to fulfill the demand.
While today's major telecom market players are largely incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), and PTTs (government agencies responsible for postal mail, telegraph, and telephone services), as networks and services converge new service providers such as Yahoo®, Google®, MSN® and Skype® begin to compete in the telecom arena. For instance, Skype currently uses P2P technology and research organizations are moving towards implementing P2P networks for cellular use.
Essentially, telecommunications is in the process of transforming into an all-IP fixed mobile convergence (FMC) based architecture and ubiquitous network. NGN (next generation) and long-term evolution (LTE) and/or IP multimedia system networks represent the movement towards this goal. Not only are networks progressing towards converged architectures but carriers are also offering diversified and eventually integrated applications and services. In addition to converged networks and diversified applications and services, Intelligent Networking (IN) is also shaping telecommunications. IN is intended for fixed and mobile telecom networks and provides value added services in addition to standard telecom services like public switched telephone network (PSTN), code division multiple access (CDMA) and global system for mobile communications (GSM) services on mobile phones.
As telecommunications moves into the next generation of network convergence and diversified applications, service providers will need to remain competitive and profitable by offering value added converged routing services. With telecom, IT and Internet, media and consumer electronic industries merging, platforms which route sessions (e.g., voice, data, multimedia, etc.) from subscriber devices (e.g., personal media device, computer, mobile phone, TV, etc.) through the network using intelligent routing capabilities will be one of these value added services.
Therefore, there is a long-felt need to provide an advanced intelligent network platform that determines a best value route in real-time based upon a plurality of data and optimization algorithms.